(Reuters) - The Los Angeles Dodgers finally broke out of their scoring drought and snapped a seven-game losing streak on Sunday by beating the Mets 8-3, but they got the win thanks in no small part to a few New York errors.

The Dodgers (44-36) had been shut out in five of their last six games as they fell out of first place in the National League West.

Dee Gordon helped spark the turnaround when he scored on an error in the fifth inning, where the Dodgers tallied two runs to tie the game 3-3, then stole a pair of bases in the seventh where the home team scored four times to end their slump.

The critical seventh saw two Los Angeles runners cross home plate when New York catcher Mike Nickeas misplayed a catch. The Dodgers needed just seven hits to secure the win.

Starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw set up the victory with seven strong innings and nine strikeouts. He allowed just one earned run in the first, but the Mets (43-37) added two in the third to move ahead 3-1 on a pair of throwing errors by Gordon.

Gordon redeemed himself in the fifth, while James Loney's sixth-inning RBI gave struggling Los Angeles their first lead since June 24.

(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford)